Flat arch corrector and foot exerciser

ABSTRACT

A machine for correcting flat arches and exercising the feet employing an electric motor rotating a pair of spaced parallel rollers. A foot is held with the heel in place and the remainder extending transversely between the rollers. A mechanism guides the rollers, while rotating, to move up and down the corresponding surfaces of the foot.

United States Patent Martin L. Ryerson 581 Warner Ave., Logan, Ohio 43138 821,735

May 5,1969

Feb. 23, 1971" lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented FLAT ARCH CORRECTOR AND FOOT EXERCISER 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs. 2

US. Cl

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,045,814 6/l936 Werler l28/25X 2,230,890 2/1941 McClenathen.... 128/57 3,359,572 12/1967 Blackwell... 128/25X Primary Examiner-L. W. Trapp ABSTRACT: A machine for correcting flat arches and exercising the feet employing an electric motor rotating a pair of spaced parallel rollers, A foot is held with the heel in place and the remainder extending transversely between the rollers. A mechanism guides the rollers, while rotating, to move up and down the corresponding surfaces of the foot.

Sit-365L064 PATENTEU FEB23 SHYI IN VENTOR. MART/N A. kvmso/v FLAT ARCH CORRECTOR AND FOOT EXERCISER SUMMARY OF THElN VENTION rod which is rotated thereby. Each'rod rotates a screw having spiral grooves formed thereon. Each of the two rollers has a corresponding axle having one end disposed in and guided by the groove of the corresponding screw whereby both rollers are rotated about their axes and are caused to move up and down along corresponding surfaces of the portion of the foot disposed therebetween with the advantages indicated above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a cutaway side view of my invention; FIG. 2 is a cut away top view thereof; and FIG. 3 is a top view of my invention.

A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OFPEEFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. l-3, a housing has at its top surface two heel supports 12 disposed side by side and two transversely extending parallel horizontal rollers 14 and 16, roller- 14 being disposed at a lower level than roller 16 whereby when one or both feet, with heels resting in the supports, extend forward between the rollers. the lower roller contacts the sole in the region of the arch and the upperroller rests on the top of the foot over the arch.

Each of the rollers has an axle, shown at 18 for roller 14 and at 20 for roller 16 which has one end extending through a corresponding oneof horizontal concave slots 20' or 22 into the spiral grooves 24 on a corresponding one of rotating screws 26 or 28. As these screws rotate the rollers rotate about their own axes and move back and forth in the slots to produce the massaginglike motion previously described. The grooves 24 define two counterrotating spirals which are successively engaged by the roller axle as it reaches one end or the other of the corresponding slot to reverse the directions of motion along the slot.

Each screw is secured to and rotated by a corresponding one of rods 30 and 32. Each rod is rotated about its own axis. To this end. each rod has a worm gear 34 or 36 secured thereto at an end opposite to the screw.

An electric motor 38 has two oppositely extending shafts 40 and 42 which are driven in synchronism and indeed can be one integral shaft.

Each shaft 40 and 42 has at its free end a corresponding bevel gear 44 and 46 which engages a corresponding worm gear with the results indicated above.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

lclaim:

l. A flat arch corrector and foot exerciser comprising:

a housing having at least one heel rest;

first and second parallel horizontal rollers extending transversely to said rest at different levels whereby when the heel of a foot is disposed on said rest. the remainder of the foot extends between the two rollers with one roller contacting the sole and the other roller contacting the upper portion of the foot; and

means for rotating both rollers about their axes while causing said rollers to move back and forth along the corresponding regions of the foot.

2. An exerciser as set forth in claim I wherein said means includes an electric motor having two oppositely extending shafts rotating in synchronism.

3. An exerciser as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means includes two rods rotatable about their axes, each rod having at one end a worm rotated by a corresponding motor shaft and a screw at the other end coupled to the corresponding roller.

4. An exerciser as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means includes a bevel gear on the free end of each shaft, each bevel gear being coupled to the corresponding worm.

5. An exerciser as set forth in claim 4 wherein each roller has an axle and the housing has a separate generally horizontal concave slot for each roller through which the corresponding axle extends, each axle engaging either one of counterrotating spiral grooves in the corresponding screw. 

1. A flat arch corrector and foot exerciser comprising: A HOUSING HAVING AT LEAST ONE HEEL REST; FIRST AND SECOND PARALLEL HORIZONTAL ROLLERS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO SAID REST AT DIFFERENT LEVELS WHEREBY WHEN THE HEEL OF A FOOT IS DISPOSED ON SAID REST, THE REMAINDER OF THE FOOT EXTENDS BETWEEN THE TWO ROLLERS WITH ONE ROLLER CONTACTING THE SOLE AND THE OTHER ROLLER CONTACTING THE UPPER PORTION OF THE FOOT; AND MEANS FOR ROTATING BOTH ROLLERS ABOUT THEIR AXES WHILE CAUSING SAID ROLLERS TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH ALONG THE CORRESPONDING REGIONS OF THE FOOT.
 2. An exerciser as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means includes an electric motor having two oppositely extending shafts rotating in synchronism.
 3. An exerciser as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means includes two rods rotatable about their axes, each rod having at one end a worm rotated by a corresponding motor shaft and a screw at the other end coupled to the corresponding roller.
 4. An exerciser as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means includes a bevel gear on the free end of each shaft, each bevel gear being coupled to the corresponding worm.
 5. An exerciser as set forth in claim 4 wherein each roller has an axle and the housing has a separate generally horizontal concave slot for each roller through which the corresponding axle extends, each axle engaging either one of counterrotating spiral grooves in the corresponding screw. 